With the use of high capacity magazines or in difficult shooting situations with weapons such as, but not limited to M16, AR15, (.223/.556 caliber) and SR25, and AR 10 (.308/7.62 caliber) type rifles/carbine platforms, and any other rifle that utilizes a buffer tube as a component of the rifle assembly, it becomes difficult to shoot from a prone position (for example shooting from under an automobile) or with the use of short barrel rifles (SBRs) in tactical situations such as close quarters combat where it may be necessary to fire the weapon with the magazine horizontal rather than vertical. When the weapon is rotated 90° so the magazine is in the horizontal position the butt stock—located at the end of the buffer tube also rotates to the horizontal position, and thus the butt stock cannot be used to securely rest the butt stock against the user's shoulder.
Currently the misalignment of the butt stock to the cup of the shoulder is tolerated for situations as described above because there is no means for allowing the rifle to rotate while maintaining the vertical alignment of the butt stock to the shooter's shoulder.
Thus there is a need for a rotating buffer apparatus that overcomes the above listed and other disadvantages.